Navy warned that doomed boat was overdue

7 July 2002 — 10:00am

While survivors of an asylum-seeker vessel were in the water hoping for rescue, the Australian Defence Force was warned by its own intelligence unit that the boat was behind schedule, but failed to actively search for it.

The Defence Force intelligence assessment suggested that the doomed boat would be delayed and not arrive as expected in Christmas Island the next day, a submission to the Senate reveals. The boat sank with the death of 353 people, including 150 children during last year's federal election campaign.

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The Defence Force's Northern Command (NORCOM) intelligence summary on October 20 said SIEV-X's progress would be delayed because it was overcrowded and needed to maintain stability, the submission reveals. A slow passage was therefore likely, the intelligence assessment had said.

The Herald has obtained information from the Defence Force's submission on SIEV-X to the senate children overboard inquiry ahead of its release on Monday.

The revelation contradicts claims by Admiral Geoffrey Smith, the head of the border protection operation, Operation Relex, that intelligence reports at the time merely reported "alleged departures" and were not firm enough to require action.

The submission shows that Admiral Smith also did nothing to search for SIEV-X two days later on October 22, when Coastwatch again confirmed SIEV-X's departure and issued an "overdue alert". He appears to have relied instead on a NORCOM intelligence assessment that the vessel had returned to Java because of unfavourable weather and overcrowding.

The Herald has been told there is no explanation for NORCOM"s assessment, which contradicts a personal warning from a concerned Australian Federal Police officer in Indonesia that morning that SIEV-X was overdue and very overcrowded.

Admiral Smith never deviated from his refusal to actively search for SIEV-X on October 18, when AFP intelligence reported itsdeparture and other intelligence reported that it could be in poor condition and need rescue at sea. He is expected to be closely questioned on this decision whenrecalled to give evidence.

The ADF is believed to have told the Prime Minister's people smuggling task force - beginning on October 18 - that it was searching for SIEV-X in accordance with its standard practice on the receipt of reliable intelligence reports on departures.

In a covering letter to the children overboard inquiry, thedefence minister, Robert Hill,insisted that the submission torpedoed allegations that the ADF had turned a blind eye to the plight of SIEV-X. But the surveillance maps attached to the submission show the navy never altered its routine surveillance to search for SIEV-X.

The Defence submission denies suggestions that because the boat was overcrowded on its departure the ADF was duty-bound to begin a search and rescue mission when Coastwatch assessed it was overdue. Defence's reasoning was that it believed SIEV (suspected illegal entry vessel) crews had previously displayed a reasonable level of maritime proficiency.

And Senator Hill has still not given permission for the head of the defence force task force set up to assist the inquiry, Admiral Raydon Gates, to give evidence about the submission and hisreview of all intelligence reports received by Operation Relexbefore and after SIEV-X sank.